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Redefining Literacy When The Arts and Core Curriculum Collide Edutopia
Redefining Literacy When The Arts and Core Curriculum Collide Edutopia
TE ACHE R LE ADE RS HI P
I'mcertainlynotthefirsttoobservethatthetermliteracyhasnewmeaningforourstudentsameaningthat
callsbotheducatorsandparentstocarefullyconsideralltheplaceswhereourchildrenneedhelp"readingand
writingtheworld."
It'sadiscussionwearebeginningtoengageinmoreearnestlyaswecontinuetopursueourarts@newman
(mailto:arts@newman)initiative.(Seemyfirstpost(http://www.edutopia.org/cardinalnewmanartseducation)
aboutit.)Attheveryheartofthisworkistheideathatwecannotconsiderournotionofliteracycompleteuntilwe
haveembracedthepowerthelanguageoftheartsbringstoourlives.
Whatsortofthingswouldyouexpecttoseeandhearifyouweretodropbyanarts@newman
(mailto:arts@newman)classroom?Duringourfirstterm,weengagedinagreatdealofdiscussionaboutthe
languageofdesign.Weimmersedstudentsintheprinciplesandelementsofdesigninmedia,thevisualarts,
music,dance,anddrama.Astheweekshavegoneon,studentshavebecomemoreconfidentintalkingabout
balance,proportion,repetition,emphasis,contrast,line,value,levels,andcolor.
Wehavebeguntointroducestudentstothelanguageofthearts,andwehaveplacedtheacquisitionofthis
languagealongsidethetraditionalformsofliteracyandnumeracy.NowI'mbeginningtoseesomeexcitingthings
happen:
Studentsarebeginningtousethelanguageoftheartstocritiquetheirownworkandtheworkofothers.For
instance,studentshavebeenwatchingsegmentsfromthetelevisionshowSoYouThinkYouCanDanceand
writingformalcritiquesinresponse.
Studentsarestartingtousetheelementsandprinciplesofthelanguageoftheartstoconnectvariousformsof
creativecommunication.Forexample,theyarecomparingbalanceindancewithbalanceingraphicdesign.
Theyaremakingconnectionsbetweenmelodyinmusicandlinesindanceandvisualarts.Theseintertextual
connectionsarepowerfulliteracymomentsforusall.
Generallyspeaking,studentsareturningtoartisticformsofexpressioninothercurriculumareas.Danceand
thevisualartshavebecomepartofourgeographicallexiconasweexplorethethemeofmigration.Dramaand
https://www.edutopia.org/literacyintegratingartscorecurriculum 1/2
2/11/2017 RedefiningLiteracy:WhentheArtsandCoreCurriculumCollide|Edutopia
musichavefoundtheirwayintoourexplorationofcellsinscience.
WhenIbeganmyteachingcareer,artwasanoun,somethingthatwedidonFridaysattheendoftheday.Now,
itisquicklybecomingaverb,awayoftalkingabouttheworldthatisengaging,meaningful,andpowerful.
Howareyouusingtheartswiththecorecurriculuminyourschoolorclassroom?Whatnewthinkingorideashas
thistopicinspiredinyou?Pleaseshareyourthoughts.
Source:www.edutopia.org/literacyintegratingartscorecurriculum
ReprintPolicy:www.edutopia.org/termsofuse
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